The modern day is a stressful, complicated place. We are wearing so many proverbial “hats” and are constantly pulled in tons of different directions. We want to focus on our career, but we also want to be good parents. We want to take time to experience life, but we also want to make money and prepare ourselves for retirement. All of these things add up to a lot of stress and a lot of seemingly contradictory wants and needs.

One of the hardest things about modern life is learning how to achieve that elusive work-life balance. Being a workaholic may seem like a fairly innocuous trait, but it can sap you and ultimately leave you wishing you had taken more control over your life when you had the chance. What follows are just a few ways that you can work towards obtaining that elusive balance so many of us are looking for.

Leave Your Work At Work

This is really hard for people to do. For some, they literally take work home with them. They spend their evenings filling out paperwork or catching up on correspondence. For others, even when they leave the office, they are still thinking about whatever it is that they were working on. What this ultimately means is that you never stop working. As difficult as it is, you have to be able to leave the “work you” at the office and not bring it home with you.

Take Time for You

This is probably the most crucial element of obtaining a work-life balance. You have to be able to cultivate elements of your personality and interest beyond work. You have to find ways to de-stress and to leave work, well, at work. For those of us who have spent our entire adult lives so career focused, changing that aspect of ourselves is not easy, but it is worth it. Too many people regret, at the end of their life, that they did not work harder to cultivate themselves.

Do not just let your vacation time pile up unused, you are given it for a reason. Vacation is the reward you give yourself for being a “good adult” and keeping up with your responsibilities. Hobbies are a great way to keep your mind and body active when you aren’t at work. Nobody wants to be “hollow” or “one-sided,” but this is exactly what a workaholic is.

Whether it is a physical activity, you join a club, you start meditating, you paint, travel, whatever – these activities will not only help reduce your stress, they give your life meaning beyond going to work each and every day. These are things that you can do with your friends and family, or as a means to meet new people, bringing greater intimacy and companionship into your life as well.

Delegate

This is something that many of us could do a lot more of. One of the stressful things about modern life is that we have simply added more to our to-do list. Mothers who work are still just that, mothers, which means their job doesn’t end when they leave work at the end of the day. This is why it is important to delegate tasks when you can. Giving the children a list of weekly chores not only instills in them an understanding of work ethic and productive activity, it also means that you do not have to do those things.

Split the chores up between the whole family and suddenly everyone has more time, without sacrificing the cleanliness of the home or at the expense of necessary errands. In the end, delegating is good for the whole family. It teaches children responsibility and allows a little bit of extra time for the parents.

Modern life isn’t going to slow down to wait for any of us to catch up, no matter how much we wish it would. We are tasked with trying to live two, three, or more different lives in one lifetime. We are mothers, fathers, managers, scientists, artists, fixers, etc. This can make the modern day world incredibly stressful for people and often, they get a singular focus and become obsessed or insanely focused on just that one aspect of their lives.

For many people, that is work. Work becomes all-encompassing and it consumes us. It does this at the expense of our families, our friends, our hobbies, and the rest of our personality. Finding a good work-life balance is difficult, but it is certainly not impossible. Simple things like leaving your work at work, delegating chores, making time for hobbies or other non-work activities, can make a huge difference in the quality of your life. You will find that you have more time for experience, for companionship, and you feel all-around less stressed out all the time.

Kelly Everson is an American author and having MA in English literature. After spending time as a writer in some of Health Industries best websites, she now works as an independent researcher and contributor for health news related website like Consumer Health Digest. In her spare time, she does research work regarding Beauty and Women Health, Fitness and lifestyle blogs, which acts as a fuel to her passion of writing. When she is not researching or writing, you can find Kelly staying active, whether it be practicing yoga or taking swimming classes. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

I have returned to the gym as soon as my six week postpartum was cleared. Yet, due to personal procrastination and the use of breastfeeding as alibi, I did not couple my workouts with good nutrition. I was a vacuum cleaner bound to have a spotless surrounding and a full belly 🙂

As soon as the end of 2015 came close I took it upon myself to set a healthy eating goal for 2016 and stick to it.

In the meantime life also presented me with an online free coach who added me to a group of women on Facebook who cheer each other on and keep themselves and each other accountable through their journey of weight loss and clean eating.

January 1, 2016 arrived and so I woke up in the morning determined to make my first day of the year a success. I juiced one lemon and had it with warm water.

I continued with my usual workout routine at the gym but this time I coupled it with the 21 day fix eating plan. This meant I ate 5 meals a day, using the containers provided to help me with portion control.

I also removed all diary from my diet as it always upsets me. I added Shakeology smoothies that were oh so delicious… I used to have a daily chocolate shakeology smoothie with half a frozen banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter and lots of ice and water… It was divine … It was the greatest part of my day and was so delicious and filling… I was full ALLL day long. I had so much energy.

Then something happened…

My scale started to register fewer pounds. I started to feel lighter. My clothes fit better. Could it be?

Could it be that what people used to say was true… :”Abs are made in the kitchen…” “You need to eat clean and couple your workouts with healthy eating or else you will never see results…”

Now I am a month and a half in my new clean lifestyle. I do not feel deprived. I do have my cheat meals here and there. I always start my day with warm lemon water. I still see the pounds melting. I am already down 13 pounds (6kg).

I am so convinced with the BeachBody programs that I signed up as a coach. I get to help others now. I get to help people cheer each other into getting to their goal… and also make money…

We all know the formula to loosing weight but we never get to do it because we need incentives. We need accountability. We need support. Here I am to support you in your journey to a better you.

In summer days and winter dryness nothing quenches the thirst and replenishes your system but a nice big glass of Mint Lemonade.

Rather than purchasing a sugar loaded lemonade drink I opted to try to recreate a healthier version of it at home. My recipe is very simple and easy to make. It is not only delicious to your taste buds but mint lemonade is full of nutrition as well. Mint aids digestion, reduces halitosis, helps in female sterility and its oil is full of good antiseptics for the face and even the nipples of breastfeeding moms. Its smell alone is a treat for the senses. Lemon juice also aids indigestion, is a useful treatment for kidney stones and helps break fever among many other benefits.

Here is my recipe below. Try it out and Enjoy ☺

Ingredients:

Juice of 2 lemons

10 Liquid Stevia Drops

Ice and Water

Directions:

In a blender, put all the ingredients. Blend, pour into a cup and enjoy. It’s that simple.

Here is also a longer list of benefits associated with Mint and lemon Juice.

Mint

Aids in digestion

Remedy for nausea and headache

Mint aroma also effective in clearing up congestion and aids respiratory issues and coughs

Recently, people have been becoming increasingly interested in discussing the fine line between the two terms of dependence and interdependence. The target of these discussions and debates are to point out the ups and downs of each term; also to understand how to better utilize them for a balanced life and a more balanced relationship amongst people.

What do dependence and interdependence mean?

The term dependence is basically when someone relies on something or someone to thrive, or simply to survive. In fact, at some point in all people’s lives, being dependent on others is just normal, and even essential, to survive in this complex world. As a child, for example, one is totally dependent on his/her parents, who help their kids acquire the necessary skills to interact with others and, most importantly, to develop the skills needed to be self-sufficient human beings. Therefore, without firstly being dependent on someone or something, there can be no chance to later become independent or interdependent.

On the other hand, interdependence occurs when two or more people rely on each other to achieve mutual benefits. This is a relationship based on the concept of living and working together hand-in-hand to develop a situation in which both parties offer a means of assistance to strive together.

Commonalities and differences:

Both terms, however, have similar and different attributes. To know these similarities and differences is to know where to draw the line when it comes to answering the question “To be or not to be?” and to determine which one of these answers is better.

Similarities:

The distinct shared value of the two terms is the very word “dependence” as both strive to function in the existence of someone else; whether it’s as an individual or more than one person and whether it’s a one-sided total reliance or mutual reliance. Another similarity lies with the reason behind the act of dependence, which is to succeed as individuals.

Differences:

Here are the main differences between dependence and interdependence:

While “dependence” involves one person who is dependent on another person or on a number of persons, “interdependence” involves two or more people who depend on one another.

“Dependence” is a one-sided relationship where one person takes the whole advantage of others, whereas “interdependence” is a mutually beneficial relationship which involves two or more parties.

“Dependence” indicates a total reliance on others. On the other hand, “interdependence” indicates a partial reliance on each other where each party offers equal benefits.

The ups and downs

Just as there are advantages of each, there are also disadvantages of being dependent or interdependent.

Advantages and disadvantages of dependence

At one stage in anyone’s life, being dependent on others isn’t necessary a negative thing; on the contrary, it might be necessary in order to take the right steps towards life’s goals. This means putting an unwavering trust in others’ hands, which is not always as easily done as spoken. Trusting others is an attribute that not everyone has and it sometimes requires taking courses or certain measures to develop this trust. Depending on others thus requires trusting that the results would be as desired, but at the same time continuing this trust even if the results aren’t as expected.

However, too much dependence is negative when it becomes a destructive force in one’s life. When someone turns into being over-dependent, he/she can no longer function well as an individual and wouldn’t have what it takes to survive alone. At the same time, over-dependence, when prolonged, can destroy the relationship between the dependent and his/her supporters because they would feel used.

Advantages and disadvantages of interdependence

Interdependence is positive when it highlights a social perspective. It enables people to interact, work, and live together while bringing about mutual interest for all. Society strives on such interaction and improves relationships amongst people. It is also important for a couple’s relationship that they support one another for the benefit of their family well-being.

Just like too much dependence, over-interdependent relationships have risks of their own. They can risk the person’s individuality aspects which are vital for survival. Because interdependence interaction is amongst people, it is highly influenced by the moods, actions, and reactions of others. For example, marriages can be subject to divorce at any period of couple’s life; if the couples are too interdependent, their chances of survival after the divorce takes place are slim and they would need to be rehabilitated as separate individuals.

The best approach is the positive approach

There are no definite positive or negative sides to dependence and interdependence. The trick here is to know where to draw the line to ensure that one is not completely drawn into one of the two extremes. Taking the positive aspects from each perspective is the best approach. This means maintaining one’s originality while living in harmony side-by-side and bringing out the best in both approaches.

Advanced health management tools refer to an electronic system that specializes in keeping medical health records. Its development was ignited by loss of focus when handling large volumes of papers, charts and files. With the help of this system, doctors are able to coordinate large support staff, manage complex business matters, and compile medical and billing information for patients. In addition, the system helps in dealing with regulatory and compliance issues.

Advanced health management tools come with the following benefits for patients:

1 Improved Quality of Medical Care

Advanced health management tools have far-reaching capabilities that are helpful in improving the quality of medical care for patients. Every person can get access to complete knowledge based health information including doctors’ location and experience. This means that patients are now in a better position to find the right medical professionals who can be helpful in addressing their medical problems at ease. The tools also help health professionals to discuss patients’ issues to come up with the best treatment approaches.

2 Decreased Medical Cost

With the help of technology advancement, doctors are capable of gathering every health data about a patient, and thus the ease of access to information promotes cost-effective testing and treatment services. With these tools, patients can receive appointments with medical professionals without having to make trips to physical locations and incurring commuting expenses. Patient’s recommendations and prescription can also be made virtually.

3 Easier Personal Data Access

In reference to Gary Hamilton, president and the founder of InteliChart, advanced health management tools will enable patients to easily access their personal data from an aggregated portal. This will give them an opportunity to utilize a single portal in connecting with all their health care providers and hospitals. Hamilton states that an aggregated repository is very crucial for organizations because it facilitates the next proceedings like care coordination and population health management. Patients will also interact with the aggregated portal to see one medication list and one appointment list from their providers using various vendors.

4 Easier Access to Medical Care

Patients will be in a position to request refills and schedule for appointments using the aggregated list. In addition, patients are more likely to remain engaged when they get a chance to interact with crucial information from doctors using a single portal instead of a separate portal for every health care provider and a different hospital. After initiating communication or requests through the portal, patients will be automatically routed to the appropriate provider, hospital, practice. They will be able to renew medication, undergo tests and schedule appointments with the click of a button. The next generation portals will have the ability to streamline communication by automatically routing requests to the most suitable staff.

5 Easier Sign-up Methodology

There are few practices that have the resources required in creating a patient’s portal account for every patient. This has therefore made a rise in latest technology portals that allow patients to create account remotely from the comfort of their home or through mobile devices. This provides initial access to plan appointments and complete forms in any location. On receiving an authentication token from his/her practice, a patient will then have complete access to their profiles.

6 User-friendly Technology

According to Hamilton, patients can only adopt a technology that fits with their lifestyles. For instance, with the help of a mobile application, patients will be in a better position to access health information and maintain communication with their healthcare providers. This will ensure that the doctors are up-to-date with patient health information, and thus will give recommendations when necessary.

7 Warning Alerts

Advanced health management tools deliver unprecedented guidance of a patient’s health that is analyzed according to the most up-to-date, evidence based practices to enable improvement across the entire population. If you are in good health, you can receive continuous monitoring as well as alerts that promote current wellness to reduce your chances of developing chronic disease. You will be alerted on when to attend a routine screening and tests for preventive measures and healthy living. The tools can also promote adherence to guard against negative interactions with other prescribed medications. If you have a chronic condition, such as heart disease, these tools will help you to find out whether you are using the most effective medication currently in use.

Conclusion

Advanced health management tools is a boon to patients as it will help the health care industry shift from volume to value by embracing technology that promote clinical excellence. This will go a long way in improving patient satisfaction while reducing the medical cost. By monitoring patients’ personal health status over time, these tools will support high-value medical assistance. They will also give employers a chance to offer personalized health and wellness interventions within the shortest time possible. By getting incorporated in mobile devices, advanced health management tools will enable patients to have access to relevant information in their fingertips.

Related Video

Author Bio

Kelly Everson is MA in English Literature and an American Author. Her work comprises of articles appearing or forthcoming in over a dozen health care websites covering beauty skin care, weight loss, diet and overall men’s & women’s health. When she’s not educating strangers with her writing, she’s most likely researching about new discoveries on global internet magazine health, fitness and beauty industry. You can see more of her work at ConsumerHealthDigest. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.